Shank stiffener for shoes



Fehe 23 192 a.

o. FERN SHANK STIFFENER FOR SHOES Filed Sept 16, 1925 Jinna for.

Patented Feb. 23, 1926.

UNITED STATE OSCAR FERN, OF NEWBURYPOET, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHANK srrrrnnnn non sirens.

Application filed September 16, 1925. Serial No. 56,712.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, Oscar. FERN, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Newburyport, in the county of Essex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Shank Stiffeners forShoes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that type of shank stiffeners for turn shoes,in which a metal reinforcing strip is attached to a leather or leatherboard stiffener, which usually extends from the back end to the ball ofthe shoe, and more particularly to certain improvements on the type ofreinforcing strip shown in my prior Patent No. 1,517

. 719, of Dec. 2nd, 1.924.

In the practical application of-the device of my said patent to a turnshoe, by ordinary shoe factory operations, several difficulties wereencountered, particularly in that the supplemental reinforcing strip,which is located between the main reinforcing strip and the stiffenerpiece was liable to become somewhat misplaced previous to thebeating-out operation, at which time the prongs, which are formed withthe supplemental reinforce, are driven into the outer sole and clenched.In consequence the prongs were frequently not driven perpendicularlyinto the sole, but were liable to be driven at an inclination thereto,and, in consequence the stiffener was not securely attached to the sole.I have ascertained that this difficulty was primarily due to the factthat, in practice, it is necessary to attach the main reinforcing stripto the stiffener piece before the latter is placed in the shoe and, asthe reinforcing strip is attached at its ends tothe stiffener piece, thelatter was liable to spring away from the former, permitting thesupplemental reinforce to move from the position in which it is intendedto be held seated in the main strip, so that, when the shoe wasrelasted, previous to the beating out operation, frequently thesupplemental reinforce was not pushed back into the position, in whichit should be held, with the consequent result above noted.

The object of my invention is to improve the construction of my saidprior patent by providing means whereby the supplemental reinforce willbe securely held in such a position, previous to the insertion of thestiffener into the shoe, that, when the shoe is relasted, thesupplemental reinforce will seat in the position intended in the mainreinforce and will be securely held in this position while the inaloperation of attaching V I accomplish this object in the mannerhereinafter described, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing,in which z- Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of the shank portionof a shoe provided with shank stiffening means embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the shank stiffener parts assembled ready forinsertion in a shoe.

Fig. 3 a sectional view at line 3-3 of Fig. 2, on anenlarged scale.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view at line 4i of Fig. 2. r

Figs. and 6 are perspective views of the parts of the shank stiffenerreinforcing means.

As shown in the drawing the stiffener comprises the leather, or leatherboard shank stiffener piece 6, ofordinary form, which its the bottom ofthe shoe from the heel end to the ball portion thereof, and to the underside of which the main reinforce, or metal reinforcing strip 0 isattached by a pair of prongs d at each end, whlch are drlven therein,said reinforce being of the usual transversely concave, or somewhatU-shaped form and being provided with an additional prong cl at its heelend,which extends oppositely to the prongs cl and is adapted to bedriven into the outer sole beneath the heel, when the stiffener isattached to the outersole a. The supplemental reinforce, or metal strip6, is adapted to fit into the middle portions of the main reinforce andhas end prongs f which are adapted to extend through apertures in themain reinforce, as described in my said prior patent.

According to my invention, the supplemental reinforce is provided with apair of integral prongs at the middle of the longitudinaledges of thesides thereof which project oppositely to the prongs I, so that, whenthe main reinforce is attached to the stiffener piece I), the prongs ywill be driven into the middle portion of the stiffener piece 7), andclenched therein, as indicated on Fig. 3, thereby securely attaching thesupple mental reinforce to the middle portion of the stifiener piece.

As thus arranged, the main and supplemental reinforce members will beheld in fixed relation with each other, and with the stiffener piece, sothat, when the Whole stiffener, as thus assembled, is inserted in theshoe, the supplemental reinforce Will be so held that its prongs f Willproject perpendicularly to the stiii'ener piece, and Will therefore bedriven perpendicularly into the outer sole and be clenched therein inthe position intended. At the same time the middle portion of thestiffener piece Z) will be securely connected at its middle portion tothe outer-sole, so that any tendency of the stiffener to spring upWithin the shoe is prevented and the entire shank portion of the shoe isbound together at its middle as Well as at each end.

I claim:

1'. in combination with a main metal reinforcing strip for a shoe shankstiffener having means at its ends for attaching it at its upper side tothe under side of the stifiener and a pair of intermediate apertures, asupplemental metal reinforcing strip disposed between the stiffener andsaid main strip and having tWo pairs of oppositely extending prongsformed therewith, one pair extending into the stiffener and the otherpair extending through said apertures in position to be driven into theouter sole of the shoe in which it is placed.

2. In combination With a main reinforcing: strip for a shoe-shankstiffener having its intermediate portion shaped to form a 0011 caveupper side and a convex under side and havin means projecting at eachend from the upper side attaching the same to the stiffener, acorrespondingly shaped supplemental metal reinforcing strip having itsconvex sine seated in the concave side of said main strip and having twopairs of oppositely projecting prongs formed there,-

with, one pair being located at the middle.

portion of thelongitudinal edges and extending into the stiifencr, andthe other pair being located at its middle and extending through saidmain strip in position to penetrate the outer sole of the shoe.

3. In combination with a main reinforcing strip for a shoesl1ankstiffener having a U-shaped intermediate portion provided with a pair ofsuitably spaced apertures in the middle line thereof and right angularlydisposed prongs projecting from each end thereof at its concave sides, asimilarly U- shaped supplemental metal reinforcing strip nested in theintermediate portion of said main strip and having an integrally formedprong projecting from the middle of each side edge thereof and extendinginto and clenched Within the stiffener and having an integrally formedprong at each end exteneing through said apertures and adapted to beclenched in the sole of the shoe.

In testimony whereof, I have signedmy name to this specification.

OSCAR FERN.

